Gawen Baratheon
Gawen Baratheon is the current Lord of Storm's End, the seat of House Baratheon in the Stormlands. He also carries the title of Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Biography Gawen Baratheon was born in 359 AC as the first child of Ser Corwin Baratheon and his wife Lady Ravella Swann. Ser Corwin was Lord Robert Baratheon’s second son, while the heir to Storm’s End was Ser Davos Baratheon, whose wife Alysanne Mertyns had given birth to a daughter named Elenda five years prior. Gawen was followed by a brother named Robert after both the reigning Lord and the historical King Robert I Baratheon, who in turn had served his legitimised son Lord Edric Baratheon as namesake for his heir, before in 364 AC, Lady Ravella gave birth to her first daughter, Cyrenna Baratheon. In 365 AC, Lord Robert Baratheon died and was succeeded by his first son Davos as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, whose sole child and heir Lady Elenda still remained. Having grown to the age of 6, Gawen was sent to Blackhaven to become a page to Lord Arlan Dondarrion, building a close relationship between House Baratheon and its bannerman, as well as preparing him for a martial training, as his position in the family tree predestined him for a position as a household knight at Storm’s End, mayhaps the Master-at-Arms or chief commander of the Baratheon levies. Over time, Gawen learned, aside from the basic skills every prospective knight needed, the handling of many different weapons, although he eventually focussed on training with blunt weapons, as was tradition for the men of House Baratheon, who were renowned for their use of warhammers, most of all King Robert I Baratheon, the current line’s ancestor and paragon. While he was training first as a page and then as Lord Dondarrion’s squire, three more siblings of his were born, the twins Rodrik and Lothar in 367 AC and Ser Corwin’s younger daughter Argella in 371 AC. Gawen returned to Storm’s End for a longer visit to his family in 372 AC, provoked by a mournful occasion. Ser Corwin had died on a hunting trip into the Rainwood when his horse tripped and he fell to the ground, breaking his neck. At the funeral, Gawen reunited with his family that had grown by then, as well as his cousin Elenda, who had become a young woman, strikingly beautiful, but still unwed, as heiress of Storm’s End seeking a man to forsake his own house in favour of the Baratheon name. Years later, in 378 AC, Gawen returned home from Blackhaven after Lord Arlan Dondarrion had knighted him at the age of 19 for the prowess gained and proven in a squires’ melee. Upon his return, Gawen also was faced with another decision, as Lord Davos proposed that he should wed his cousin Elenda, to unify the lines of succession to Storm’s End, to which he agreed. Despite their difference in age, Gawen and Elenda grew fond of each other quickly, Elenda being a woman of competence in many fields, most of all statecraft, which greatly impressed her new husband, to whom she became an admired guiding figure, in general, while she came to appreciate his maturity despite his young age, as he was a considerate man and sincere towards her at all times. After their marriage, it was decided that once Lord Davos was to pass away, Lady Elenda would, as Lady Paramount of the Stormlands, handle the matters of statecraft, while Gawen as Lord Consort was to lead the armies of the Stormlands, should the need arise. And thus, it became apparent that even more than the dueling skills acquired as a squire, Gawen would need to become a strategist and tactician, and a leader of men. After their wedding, Gawen remained in Storm’s End as much as he could, both improving his knowledge on tactics and spending time with his wife, although a pregnancy was not yet occurring, to complete their contentment. The opportunity for Gawen to prove his newly acquired skill as tactician came in 382 AC, when the Stormlands entered the Dornish-Triarchy War to come to the aid of their southern neighbours in Dorne. Lord Davos decided to remain in Storm’s End, defending the castle against any attackers that would come from across the sea, while Ser Gawen and his younger brother Robert were sent out to lead the army raised from among the bannermen of the Stormlands, especially from the Marcher Lords. It ached Gawen greatly to separate from Elenda for an unknown time, but dutifully, he led the men into battle. At Skyreach, he met with Dornish spearmen, and together they rode for the Tor, where they defeated the Essosi sellswords, before marching on towards Sunspear, which was liberated quickly, the men of the Triarchy retreating. At the same time, the Essosi attacked the Stormlands, and Gawen and his men returned to their homeland, while siege was eventually laid to Storm’s End, the kin of House Baratheon, as well as members of House Royce, who had fled their castle’s occupation by rebels, had to defend their walls under the command of Lord Davos. At Hangman’s Hill and Bronzegate, Gawen led his men to victory over the invaders, proving his natural inspiring effect as a commander, after the Battle of Bronzegate knighting Brus Dondarrion, the son of his former own instructor, who had perished in that fight, and they were able to lift the siege of Storm’s End, leading Gawen and Elenda to be reunited once again. The bliss upon their reunion was interrupted once more, though, as the men of Westeros followed King Edmund I Baelish to Myr, whence they only returned in 385 AC when the Pact was signed. Now, Gawen’s bliss was complete, the soft smile on Elenda’s face and the return to times spent together banishing the effects of death and destruction seen during the war from Gawen’s mind, knowing it all had been for a purpose, to perform his duty, and to survive so he could return to Elenda. By the end of 385 AC, Elenda was finally with child. Meanwhile, Robert Baratheon departed to the Capital to become a Knight of the Kingsguard. The year after, however, proved a major turn in Gawen’s life. Elenda’s son, whom they had named Edric in advance, turned out to be stillborn, and after the straining birth, the Maester was not able to save Elenda, either. Now a widower, Gawen fell into deep mourning. He regretted all the time he had spent at war, and all the same, the absence had only made him love Elenda more. His memory of her, the times of bliss before he had departed, and after he had returned, now knowing how much they both desired to be a part of the other’s life, now were all that remained of her, and Gawen found himself unable to move on, lingering in the past that now could never return. It was not among Gawen’s foremost thoughts that Elenda’s death had made him the heir to Storm’s End, but it came to be of great importance when Lord Davos Baratheon died of an illness a year after his daughter, in 387 AC. Gawen was now the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, and thus he left the Stormlands for the first time in two years, to swear his fealty to King Edmund I Baelish in King’s Landing. He met with the important men at court, including the Lord Hand Jon Stark, as well as his brother Robert, who now was a sworn brother of the Kingsguard. It was a small distraction from his mourning, but he knew he had to return to Storm’s End soon again. Before he departed, he and Lord Stark declared friendship between their houses, although no greater arrangements were made. Upon Gawen’s return to Storm’s End, he was confronted by yet another consequence of Elenda’s death. He was now faced with not only the military, but also the administrative duties of the Stormlands, and besides the mournful disposition that was now Gawen’s for the time being, it was also a lack of training in his earlier years that kept him from fulfilling them properly. Fortunately, he could rely on Lord Stannis Seaworth, the steward of Storm’s End, to manage the castle for him, while he also resolved to learn useful skills from the man. However, that went slowly, and the following years passed, with Gawen often keeping to himself and reminiscing about the lost Elenda, and what remained in his memory, vowing to never forget her. In 389 AC, Gawen, growing more accustomed to his situation, decided to act upon his resolutions, and, aside from turning to administration and statecraft more than before, also sent a letter to Lord Stark, proposing an alliance in marriage, to which the Warden of the North responded in agreement, betrothing his sister Argella to Gawen’s unwed brother Lothar. It was decided that the two houses would meet at the feast at King’s Landing, which King Edmund I Baelish had called in the meantime. Timeline * 359 AC: Gawen is born to Ser Corwin Baratheon and Lady Ravella Swann * 361 AC: Gawen’s brother Robert is born. * 364 AC: Gawen’s sister Cyrenna is born. * 365 AC: Gawen’s uncle Davos Baratheon becomes Lord Paramount. Gawen goes to Blackhaven to become a page. * 367 AC: Gawen’s brothers Lothar and Rodrik are born. * 369 AC: Gawen begins training with blunt weapons. * 371 AC: Gawen’s sister Argella is born. * 372 AC: Ser Corwin dies in a hunting accident. After the funeral, Gawen returns to Blackhaven as a squire. * 378 AC: Gawen is knighted by Lord Arlan Dondarrion and marries his cousin Elenda Baratheon, Heiress to Storm’s End. * 382 AC: In the Dornish-Triarchy War, Gawen marches an army to Dorne, becoming a skilled tactician. * 384 AC: Gawen’s army liberates Storm’s End from siege after several victories. * 385 AC: Gawen commands the Stormlander contingent to Myr, before the Pact is signed. Elenda Baratheon grows pregnant with Gawen’s child. * 386 AC: Elenda dies in childbirth and Gawen falls into mourning. * 387 AC: Lord Davos Baratheon dies and Gawen becomes Lord Paramount. He travels to King’s Landing to swear fealty, where he meets Lord Jon Stark. * 389 AC: Gawen focusses more upon acting as a Lord, and sends a marriage offer to Lord Stark. * 390 AC: Present Day, Tourney at King’s Landing. Family Tree Supporting Characters * Argella Baratheon (Negotiator), Sister, b. 371 AC * Addam Lonmouth (Warrior (Swords)), Household Knight * Byron Musgood (Cavalry General), Household Knight * Jaime Tudbury (Trader), Emissary * Maldon Storm (Hunter), Master of the Hunt * Maester Perwyn (Scholar), Maester of Storm’s End Category:House Baratheon Category:Stormlander